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Fahrenheit 451 Fire Analysis

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In Fahrenheit 451 ,written by Ray Bradbury, the motif of fire, sparks an interest in the reader which pulls them into the life of Guy Montag. In the daily life of Montag, Bradbury portrays the importance of fire in the censored society. From Montag's standpoint the reader gains a clear perspective of the symbolism and importance of fire. Throughout the story fire is used to represent a different emotion or characteristic. At the start of the book fire symbolizes destruction; towards the middle of the book fire is used to represent change and discovering ones identity; and finally at the conclusion of the story fire symbolizes renewal and rebirth. In the opening scene of the story the thrill of burning and destroying books with fire is being …show more content…

Faber opens Montag's eyes to the world around him and Montag comes to see how everyone around him is in a daze and is simply not living their lives. When Montag visits Faber to inquire about books and what they contain, Faber sates "I don't talk to things. I talk to the meaning of things. I sit here and I know I'm alive" (Bradbury 71). Faber's deep knowledge of books help him see life in ways that others cannot, and Montag hopes to obatin some of this knowledge. In fact Motag craves this knoweldge. He describes the sate of life he is currently in as numb. Montag firmly believes that "the numbness will go away...It'll take time, but I'll do it, or Faber will do it for me" (Bradbury 74). He wants the clarity that comes with knowledge. Montag's new found knowledge and a want for change is easily seen in the way that his views on fire changes. This is evident when Montag is forced to burn his own home. "He burnt the bedroom walls and the cosmetics chest because he wanted to change everything, the chairs, the tables, and in the dining room the silverware and the plastic dishes, everything that showed that he had lived here in this empty house with a strange woman...And as before, it was good to burn, he felt himself gush out in the fire, snatch, rend, rip in half with flame, and put away the senseless problem. If there was no solution, well then now there was no problem, either. Fire was best

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